Facebook.edu Is Not The Answer

Michael Feldstein has written a great post reflecting on institutional ePortfolios ("If We Build It, Will They Come?"). It could make painful reading, for some.

Michael wonders whether the whole institutional approach to ePortfolios isn't fundamentally misguided. He asks whether we ought to learn something about possible ePortfolio systems, or alternatives to ePortfolios, by looking at how students actually spend their online time -- where they go, and what they do.

As you'll see from the comments (by D'Arcy Norman, among others), the main alternative in view seems to be social software and Web 2.0-yish applications. While I am a big fan of Wikis, and agree that social software appeals to many students, I would take a slightly different tack. Facebook.edu is not the answer... Keying into student lifestyles and preferences is seductive, but it can also be deeply misleading. There's no guarantee that copying students' favourite social apps will result in better-educated students, or more equality of opportunity. If your thing is literacies, and digital literacies in particular, using social apps won't extend your students' repertoire, either -- at least, not in the affluent First World. We need to challenge our students intellectually, not just confirm their existing (techno-)social practices. I've been reading Ulises' posts recently over at Ideant and have been challenged by his thoughts on techno-literacies and social justice.

I keep coming back to fundamental questions about the overall purpose of our online tools, technologies, and services. Finding out how students perceive institutional tools and technologies is important. Promoting their sense of shared ownership is also important. But enabling students just to "use" technologies is not our real purpose. Enabling students to use them effectively is better... but it's still not enough. Enabling students' use of technology to enhance their education, life skills, and achievement? Now we're talking.